


Day Ten: Hurt/Comfort

by isnonstop



Series: jeffmads month 2k18 [10]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-28 18:42:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13909938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isnonstop/pseuds/isnonstop
Summary: Thomas had grown used to being alone. As a young child he had his siblings and parents around all the time but once Thomas’ father died and he was sent to boarding school Thomas learned how to be alone. He had had friends at school but no one he was particularly close to. And when they started to drift away as they got older Thomas didn’t bother trying to keep contact.





	Day Ten: Hurt/Comfort

**Author's Note:**

> I just got home from babysitting and it is officially 10 March in London England so here you go.

Thomas ran his fingers on the table, drawing circles and spirals, only half listening to the people talking around him. He was stuck in the dining hall, forced to sit through a meal even though he wasn't hungry at all. He couldn’t remember the last time he was hungry. 

“Thomas?”

“Hmm?” Thomas looked up, looking over to Lafayette. 

“Are you okay?” Lafayette asked, frowning a bit in concern.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Thomas said, giving him a tight smile. 

“You haven’t eaten anything,” Lafayette said. 

“I’m not hungry,” Thomas shrugged. “I had a big lunch.”

Lafayette didn’t look completely convinced but decided not to push. He gave Thomas a small smile before turning back to listen in on whatever Hamilton and Laurens were talking about. Thomas continued to sit there silently while everyone talked around him, happily having their own conversations and living their own lives. Thomas always felt like an outsider with this group. The only reason he was even invited to hang with them was because of Lafayette. None of the other merry little band of friends was particularly fond of Thomas, to the point of outright disdain in Hamilton’s case. 

Thomas glanced down at the table, sighing softly before pushing away from the table and standing. He grabbed his bag from the floor and slung it over his shoulder before leaving. No one acknowledged his departure and Thomas didn’t say anything as he left. 

—

Thomas had grown used to being alone. As a young child he had his siblings and parents around all the time but once Thomas’ father died and he was sent to boarding school Thomas learned how to be alone. He had had friends at school but no one he was particularly close to. And when they started to drift away as they got older Thomas didn’t bother trying to keep contact. 

Thomas wasn’t good at making friends and he was even worse at maintaining friendships. 

But no matter how used to being alone he was, Thomas did not like it. Sure he liked spending time alone but constantly being alone was draining and there was no denying that he was lonely. Immensely so. It had been ages, far longer than he cared to remember, since he’d had someone he would truly consider a friend. People didn’t like Thomas very much and no one really bothered to take the time to get to know him. And Thomas always felt like a burden when he tried to make friends. So after a while, he’d just given up trying. 

—

Thomas was sat in the corner of the library farthest from the door. He had been there for a while, having a major project to work on for his Philosophy class. The rest of the library was filled with other students and Thomas was the only one who had an entire table to himself since most everyone else was there with friends or classmates. Thomas ran a hand through his hair, adjusting his glasses as he turned his gaze from his laptop to his textbook, reading over a few notes he’d made in the margins about his topic. 

“Excuse me,” a soft voice said, making Thomas startle and look up. Across from him stood another student, someone Thomas had never seen before. He had a soft gentle look about him. 

“Um, yes?” Thomas said, confused as to why this person was talking to him.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” He asked, gesturing to the seat across from Thomas. “All the other tables are full.”

“Oh, yeah sure,” Thomas pulled his books over so they were only taking up half the desk. 

“Thanks,” the other man smiled, pulling out the chair and sitting down. “I’m James.”

“Thomas,” Thomas said softly, looking back down at his notes. 

“Nice to meet you, Thomas,” James said, extending a hand to him. Thomas hesitated a moment before reaching out and taking James’ hand. It had been an embarrassingly long time since someone had touched him, a fact Thomas didn’t care to think about too much.

“You too,” Thomas said, pulling his hand away from James before he did something to embarrass himself. 

“What’re you working on?” James asked, spreading out his textbooks.

“A Philosophy paper,” Thomas said, looking down at his laptop. 

“Nice,” James smiled. “I’m new here. I just transferred from Princeton this semester.”

“Oh, cool,” Thomas said, wondering why James was still talking to him. Not that he didn’t want James to talk to him, he definitely did, but people generally only interacted with Thomas the bare minimum they needed to.

James nodded, still smiling at Thomas, “Yeah. I’ve only been here a couple weeks and there’s just so much to see and do in the city.” 

“There is,” Thomas nodded, looking up from his laptop. 

“I would love to have a tour guide,” James said, eyes sparkling a bit. 

“Oh!” Thomas flushed a bit. “Oh, um, would you- do you- are you-“

James laughed, causing a few other students to look over at them with disdain. “Sorry. Am I flustering you, Thomas?”

“No, I- I mean- a bit,” Thomas whispered, biting his lip. 

“Surely someone as handsome as you is used to people flirting with you,” James said, leaning onto the table. 

Thomas flushed, ducking his head. “People don’t really talk to me.”

“What?” James sounded genuinely surprised. Thomas gave a small shrug, trying to brush away the hurt he felt at his own statement. “Well, their loss is definitely my gain.” Thomas looked up, surprise written all over his face. James smiled gently at him, eyes bright and inviting. “Would you like to get coffee with me sometime, Thomas?”

Thomas swallowed, a small smile spreading across his lips as he ducked his head slightly and nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://isnonstop.tumblr.com)
> 
>  
> 
> Did I project a lot onto Thomas in this one? Maybe. ~~Yes~~


End file.
